Nothing More than This
by Honeybee1111
Summary: In the aftermath of Cyberwoman, Jack and Ianto hook up. But will it become something more?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own _Torchwood_ or _Doctor Who_. No profit made.

A/N: This is my first trip into the Torchwood fandom. I decided to start easy, writing my take on how Jack and Ianto got together in the first season. M-rated so if that's not your thing, leave now. Many thanks to my wonderful beta, AquariusNX01. Also thanks to all the wonderful TW/Doctor Who writers who inspire me.

1.

Ianto stood on the roof of his apartment building, staring out at the lights of Cardiff. He had always found Jack's roof habit, an affectation he suspected his boss had lifted from Batman comics, to be rather pretentious. But this night, with the city looking so peaceful and beautiful, Ianto understood.

It was almost enough to reconsider his plan. Almost, but not enough.

He looked down at the pavement. Would it be instant? Perhaps a bridge would be better, though impact on concrete was more likely to be quick and painless than impact on water.

He just had to climb over the wall. Then, he would let go. Worse case scenario, there would be nothing. Nothing was better than the pain, which was constant and relentless.

He was about ready to climb up and over the wall, when the sound of footsteps broke his thoughts. He turned around, and he saw a familiar silhouette emerging from the shadows.

"It's a long way down," said Jack, who came up next to Ianto and stared out at the city.

It surprised Ianto to see Jack there, though it shouldn't have. Jack had called to check on him three times that day.

"What are you doing here?" asked Ianto, figuring Jack had used Torchwood technology to track him.

"There was something in your voice when I spoke to you today. Something not right," replied Jack.

Ianto turned his head to look at Jack. "What was that, sir?"

Jack sighed, and he locked eyes with Ianto. "You sounded happy. At peace."

Ianto swallowed. He had been at peace since he'd decided to end everything and join Lisa. But Jack, as usual, was a step ahead of him.

"I've got a project I need you to work on at the Hub," said Jack. "Come. It's almost morning, anyway."

Jack spun on his heels and headed for the elevator, and Ianto followed without question. He didn't even know why, but he somehow knew that his plan was foiled. The moment was gone, and Jack had saved his life, again.

* * *

><p>A couple of hours later, they were in Jack's office. The rest of the team hadn't arrived, and this was the first time he had been alone with Jack - at least for any significant amount of time - since Lisa. Ianto's heart pounded in his chest. They'd been working on a project, tracking inverse rift spikes. But Ianto knew that was just an excuse.<p>

Jack was watching him. Making sure he didn't do anything stupid.

After Lisa died, Jack had given Ianto the choice of retcon, but that meant forgetting Lisa - his Lisa - and he'd rather have died. He told Jack as much. Ianto had expected him to roll his eyes or mock him, but Jack just looked at him, wistfully.

"It's not like you'll see her," said Jack.

"How would you know, sir?" asked Ianto pointedly.

But Jack hadn't answered, and Ianto had wanted him to answer. With access to the archives, he knew how many times Jack Harkness had survived the unsurvivable. He knew how many years the man had worked for Torchwood, seemingly without aging. And it hadn't just been Suzie's blood Ianto had cleaned off the Plaas the night she died. Jack had been shot, a suspicion which Ianto had confirmed via CCTV.

Ianto wondered if Jack would tell him the truth. Ianto didn't know why Jack didn't age or die - except that he didn't appear to be a vampire or anything bollocks like that. He appeared to be human.

They'd been working a while longer when Jack stood up, and he looked out the glass window of his office, over the empty and quiet hub. "I was married once," said Jack. "She died, along with our baby. If I had had a chance to save them…or thought I had a chance, I don't know what I would have done."

Ianto met his eyes, and for the first time since that awful day when he'd lost Lisa for good - he saw something other than coldness. He saw understanding.

_Maybe that's why he was so enraged_, thought Ianto. _Maybe he saw something of himself in my actions. My desperation._

Ianto took a deep breath. He tried to formulate a response. But instead, he just said, "Will there be anything else, sir?"

Jack turned. "Yes," he said, and before Ianto knew what was happening, Jack violated his space. He was standing very close to him, and he put his hands on Ianto's shoulders, gently. Ianto breathed in those pheromones, and he closed his eyes, half expecting, half wanting Jack to kiss him. He remembered the kiss that Jack had used to revive him when Lisa was still alive, and a threat…the kiss had saved his life.

"I need to know if you're okay. If you can handle being back here, with everything that has happened. I don't want to find you splattered on the pavement," said Jack.

Ianto nodded. "I have nothing else, sir. I have to be fine with being here." Then he felt Jack's strong arms around him. Ianto resisted for a few moments, before relaxing and letting go. He didn't cry, but he trembled as Jack kissed his the top of his head and soothed him.

_Was this a seduction? _he thought._ But he didn't feel like Jack wanted anything more than to comfort him._

All of a sudden, Ianto spoke. "I'm sorry I called you a monster," he whispered.

Jack squeezed him a little harder, and he laughed softly. "Of all the things to apologize for," he replied.

Ianto didn't know how to respond to that, but he laid his head on Jack's shoulder.

"I'll look after you, Ianto," whispered Jack. "You're part of this team, for real now. I'll take care of you."

Ianto wondered what that meant - and what that would entail. Jack had been relentlessly flirtatious with him before - since the night they first met. Ianto had encouraged him, telling himself that the more Jack liked him, the easier it would be to hide Lisa and do what he had to do.

He hadn't expected to like Jack in return. Respect him. Admire him. Find him charming. Yet, over the months he worked for Jack, all of those things crept up on him.

_I won't cry in front of him, not again._

Finally, Jack stepped back. And Ianto noticed something about him. This wasn't about Lisa, he realized. Something was going on with Jack. Instinctively, he thought of the rose petal from earlier, but he said nothing.

"Will that be all, sir?" he asked again.

"Yes," replied Jack, and Ianto headed downstairs to start making coffee.

* * *

><p>That night, Jack emerged from his hatch, disturbed by visions of Lahore in 1909. He wanted to do something in response to the trouble he knew was upon them. He was surprised to find the lights on, and Ianto at a workstation.<p>

"You shouldn't be here," said Jack, though he was relieved to have company. He didn't want to be alone.

"Neither should you," replied Ianto.

Jack approached the younger man. Their embrace, just a few hours earlier, gave Jack the courage to placed his hand on Ianto's shoulder, albeit tentatively. Ianto looked back at him, but he didn't seem to mind. "What have you got?"

"Funny sort of weather patterns," came the reply, and Jack knew how much trouble they were in.

He needed to go see Estelle.


	2. Chapter 2

2.

It wasn't until the incident with the cannibals that Jack had the opportunity to touch Ianto again. They didn't return from the country immediately, but instead stayed in the nearest hotel so they could debrief the local authorities. Owen had treated everyone's wounds, and they all retreated to their rooms.

Jack was worried about Gwen, who had seemed traumatized by the fact that the Bretons were human. He wanted to talk to her, comfort her. After all, he had recruited her into this life, and he was responsible for her mental well being.

However, he was about to knock on her room, and he heard a voice inside the door. A masculine voice.

Owen.

Jack's heart sank, but he turned from the door. He ran straight into Ianto, who held a bucket of ice.

"Good evening, Sir," he said formally.

"Making cocktails?" asked Jack.

Ianto shook his head. "I need ice packs for both my head and my left ankle, Sir. The nurse said I should keep the cold presses on all night."

Jack took the bucket from him. "Let me help you. I know a little about first aid."

Ianto and Jack went to his room, and Ianto unlocked the door. They entered, and Jack immediately took note of the bandages and bottles of medication on the room's small table.

In the light of the room, Jack saw bruises on Ianto's face and arms, and swelling and redness around his mouth.

"Lie down," ordered Jack.

Ianto obeyed without question, and Jack took a pillow and put it under his leg, so as to elevate it.

"It's the other one," said Ianto, and Jack smiled and made the adjustment.

"You did well today. You bought valuable time when you helped Tosh escape. I'm proud of you."

Jack searched the young man's face, looking for signs that he was disappointed that he was still alive. He didn't see any, which would have been a change from weeks ago, in the aftermath of the Lisa incident. Jack prepared another ice pack.

He gently felt around Ianto's head, and he immediately felt the bump and placed the ice pack there, causing Ianto to shiver.

Jack brushed his face. "Thank you for what you did," he said.

"I failed," said Ianto. "You're the hero."

"But you bought time. You both might be dead - I might have found you dead, if you hadn't acted the way you did. You were very brave." Jack's voice cracked nervously. _Brave or suicidal_, he thought to himself.

Ianto reached up and put his hand on the back of Jack's head, pressing him closer. Jack suddenly became extra aware of just how handsome Ianto was, and he was possessed of a powerful urge to kiss him. But he held back.

Instead, he crawled up on bed next to Ianto, pushing him gently to the middle of the bed. He took the young man into his arms and held him.

"Is this okay?" asked Jack.

Ianto nodded.

"Are you okay?" asked Jack. "Not just about today…but about everything."

Ianto sighed, and he closed his eyes. "I…I try not to think about it."

"But you think about it all the time," said Jack. He understood. There was not a day that went by when he didn't miss his wife, and she had died a century earlier. His heart ached for Estelle, though it had been decades since they had been lovers. Ianto's whole life had revolved around Lisa.

"The pain will lesson," promised Jack, "but it won't go away. Not ever. You'll just learn to live with it."

Ianto made a slight whimpering noise, and he snuggled against Jack, clutching at him.

"I'm not going anywhere," said Jack. "You don't have to be alone tonight. Just sleep. You're safe."

"Thanks, Jack," replied Ianto, and soon he drifted off.

Jack watched him for a long time, looking so peaceful and young, despite his wounds. Jack's body craved more intimacy with the young man, his fingers wanting to explore every inch of him.

Jack wondered if Ianto would ever consent to being touched that way. Twenty-first century humans were evolving as far as sexual labels went, but they still had a long way to go. Ianto had loved Lisa deeply, and he likely identified as straight…and yet, he had practically melted into Jack's arms that night at the hub.

Jack gently covered up Ianto with an extra blanket, and he kissed him on the forehead. Boldly, he also kissed the sleeping young man on the lips, but very softly as to not wake him.

That was a far as he would take it. He got up, thinking he would leave and return to his room, but he didn't. He took off his shoes, and then he got under the blankets with Ianto.

He didn't need to sleep as much as normal people, but that night, he slept soundly.

* * *

><p>A few weeks later, Jack had noticed Ianto had thrown himself back into his work. Moreover, the two were working well together.<p>

"Ianto," said Jack from the top of the stairs, "I need your help."

Ianto nodded and ascended to the boardroom, where he saw the alien "stapler" that had baffled the team when they had uncovered it.

Jack was looking at it, with a devilish smile. "I just spoke with a contact I have at UNIT. I sent him picture of this, and he recognized it from a case they handled in the 1970s. It seems, this device is a transporter."

Jack went on to explain that a race of aliens used Earth as a kind of prison colony, a place to exile their worst criminals. Unfortunately, their monitoring of Earth's popular culture - going back to the 1500s - had convinced them that Earth was the kind of place where murders would be able to make a new life for themselves.

Moreover, through UNIT, Jack had discovered that the prisoner who had arrived via the stapler had murdered her guard, and had been missing for almost two hundred years.

"I've got a gut feeling that the alien - the criminal - is near by," said Jack.

* * *

><p>After the Mary the alien had been sent packing, Jack's primary worry had been for the team. Tosh's ability to read minds had affected not only her but the rest of the team. Even the usually placid Ianto appeared taken aback by having his mind read.<p>

"Did Tosh tell you anything about what she heard?" asked Ianto, feigning nonchalance.

"Nope," replied Jack, honestly, though he could guess what Ianto feared. Ianto's emotionless mask occasionally developed cracks, if a person paid close attention. And Jack had surmised that Ianto was still in a great deal of pain.

Still Ianto looked relieved that Tosh hadn't revealed anything, and Jack stood up and approached him.

"What do you think she may have heard?" asked Jack in a teasing voice. "Secret thoughts about the boss?"

Ianto smiled shyly. "Yeah," he replied. "That's it."

"If she could have read mine," replied Jack, "There would have been dirty thoughts about my assistant. He talks in this beautiful Welsh accent."

Before Ianto had a chance to react, Jack put his hands on his face and snogged him. Deep and opened mouthed. It wasn't like the kiss at the hotel. No, that had been something else - this was more of what Jack thought the young man needed. Pleasure.

Ianto didn't react for a few seconds, then, his arms went around Jack's waist and he opened his mouth. Jack thrust his tongue inside. Jack explored skillfully, and he felt himself harden. He pressed against Ianto, and to his delight, he felt that Ianto was similarly aroused.

They kissed for a long time, and then Ianto pulled away, putting his hands up to his lips - as though shocked.

"Are you okay?" asked Jack, half-frustrated, half amused. Ianto looked so surprised that he had enjoyed it.

Ianto nodded.

Jack snaked a hand up behind Ianto's neck, and he pressed his forehead to the younger man's.

"Wouldn't you like to lose yourself for just a little while? Forget everything. All the pain. I can help you, if you'll let me."

To punctuate his point, Jack moved his free hand to Ianto's crotch. The younger man gasped, but he didn't pull away. Jack took that as assent, and he took Ianto's hands in his and led him to the hatch that led to his sleeping quarters. As much fun as it would be to shag Ianto in his office, he didn't want to set a precedent. Taking Ianto to his room would separate work from personal time, and it would be more comfortable.

Jack climbed down the ladder first, and then he watched Ianto descend. He trembled slightly, and Jack smiled to himself. As Ianto turned around, he seemed about to say something but Jack silenced him with a kiss.

Jack's hands caressed Ianto's chest, gradually pushing off his jacket and then moving to undo his tie. Ianto responded by grasping at Jack's shirt with trembling fingers. Jack's finely tuned instincts told him that Ianto had likely had little or no experience with a male partner. That meant Jack needed to start small. But small didn't mean not naked. He'd been dying to see Ianto naked since the moment he laid eyes on him. He unbuttoned the younger man's shirt and pushed it off his shoulders.

For parity's sake, Jack pushed aside his braces and unbuttoned his own shirt. To his delight, Ianto helped him remove it, and in doing so he took the opportunity to explore Jack's chest with his hands.

Jack grinned at that, and he led Ianto to the bed and sat him down. Jack kicked off his shoes, and Ianto followed suit, almost frantic at this point. Jack sat down and moved his hands to Ianto's belt buckle, and he deftly undid it. He opened Ianto's trousers and, with little ceremony, pushed down Ianto's trousers and boxers, freeing Ianto's hard cock. Ianto closed his eyes, blushing slightly, which Jack found amusing since he had nothing to be embarrassed about. His cock was as gorgeous as the rest of him. Jack quickly unbuckled his own trousers and pushed them down, freeing his erection and placing Ianto's hand there. Jack showed him how to stroke, and then he grabbed Ianto's cock and returned the favor.

Once they set a rhythm, Jack kissed Ianto and pushed him back on the bed. He closed his eyes at first, but then opened them. To his delight and amusement, Ianto's eyes were open and looking down with great concentration - as though he wanted to get things just right. Jack made it his mission to break that concentration with skillful strokes and soon the younger man was gasping and coming in Jack's hand. Jack then helped Ianto pick up his own pace, and soon Jack spilled all over Ianto in a burst of pure pleasure.

As they recovered, Jack held him close and whispered reassurances in his ear. Eventually, Jack leapt to his feet and retrieved a towel to gently clean them up, removing their tangled trousers and kicking them aside as he did so. He pulled the quilt over them and pulled Ianto close.

"How do you feel?" whispered Jack, knowing full well it was loaded question.

"Never better, Sir," came the reply. Ianto's eyes were closed.

Jack kissed him softly on the lips. "It's all just pleasure, Ianto. It needn't be anything more than that."

Ianto sighed. "No worrying about quaint little labels, is that it?"

Jack smiled. "Something like that."

"Well," replied Ianto, "Next time, I'll promise to make the pleasure last a little longer. It's just been awhile." The younger man was staring at the ceiling, seemingly lost in thought.

Jack laughed. "It's not like I'm about to pull out a stopwatch. You did fine."

With that, they settled into a pleasant silence as Jack imagined what Ianto might let him do next.


	3. Chapter 3

3.

It hadn't been as strange as Ianto predicted. Kissing a bloke. Touching a bloke. It felt good. Not wrong at all. He hadn't been sure if he could do it, but here he was lying in Jack's arms.

It wasn't unexpected. Before the team had discovered Lisa and all hell had broken loose, there had been all the flirtation and innuendo. Harmless, he had thought. Then, afterwards, Ianto had expected nothing, but gradually Jack had shown him affection and caring beyond what anyone, except Lisa, had ever shown him. And Jack had ample reason to hate him and little reason to forgive him.

Strangely, he had thought he couldn't forgive Jack, but he had. And then he had begun to look forward to Jack's small gestures of caring and affection. Ianto wasn't a naive man. He knew Jack was interested in sex, and Ianto had surprised himself by being interested back.

Ianto clutched a little at Jack, and he inhaled Jack's amazing scent. It was practically intoxicating. Impulsively, he stretched upward and planted a kiss on Jack's lips. Jack rewarded him with a soft smile.

Ianto had so needed this. He hadn't had any sexual affection since Canary Wharf and Lisa. And somehow, with Jack, it didn't feel wrong. With another girl, he would have missed Lisa too much. He still missed her, but when he was kissing and touching Jack he hadn't been thinking about her. He wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing, but he was glad Jack had kept his promise to help him escape the pain for a few moments. And since he hadn't left yet, Ianto realized he must have wanted more from Jack.

And from Jack's growing arousal, which was pressed conspicuously against Ianto's thigh, it seemed Jack wanted more too. Jack started caressing him, and Ianto sighed.

"Would you let me fuck you?" whispered Jack into his ear, making him shiver.

Ianto inhaled, and his heart started to beat harder and faster. "I've never…"

"Shhh…" whispered Jack, "It's okay. I'll take care of you. I promise. But you have to want it. We can do other things if you'd rather not go that far…"

Ianto shut his eyes. Jack was being so good to him. Taking such good care of him. With Lisa, Ianto had been the caretaker, the strong one. He couldn't imagine going back to that place. He didn't want to love anyone but Lisa. He couldn't imagine even touching another woman - with Jack, it would just be pleasure. Just sensation. A way to forget for a little while.

"You can fuck me, Jack," he said finally.

Almost before he finished speaking, Jack's mouth covered his in a deep kiss.

"You'll need to stay relaxed for me," whispered Jack, "but I promise to do right by you."

Ianto nodded, and he ran his hands over Jack's hard chest. It felt so good to touch him. Jack reached into the drawer by his bed, and he retrieved a small bottle. He quickly put some on his fingers before taking his free hand and pushing Ianto onto his back.

"Breath deeply," he said softly, and Ianto obeyed, wondering if this was all worth it. It seemed an awful lot of trouble. But he did want to let go, surrender. The idea of letting Jack do whatever he wanted was making him hard as stone. He ached with desire, and the feeling only got worse as he felt Jack's fingers exploring his opening.

"It's going to hurt a little bit at first," said Jack as he deftly inserted a slick finger.

Ianto gasped and pulled back from the stinging invasion, but he took a deep breath and calmed himself. Jack pushed in further.

Ianto looked into his eyes. "I'm tougher than you think Jack. "I can take it."

Jack grinned and inserted another finger. Ianto inhaled deeply, breathing in and out. It still stung, but it felt good, too. He could feel himself opening up as Jack's fingers began to move. As Jack inserted a third finger, he probed deep inside and hit a sweet spot.

Ianto shut his eyes and moaned. Pleasure mixed with pain, and he laughed a bit.

"Good boy," whispered Jack. "Stay relaxed. It's going to feel so good, I promise."

"I'll hold you to that," replied Ianto.

Jack removed his fingers. "Open your eyes," ordered Jack softly.

Ianto obeyed, and he saw Jack smiling down at him. Jack had lubed up his cock and was positioning himself over Ianto.

"Okay?" asked Jack as he began to push in.

"Yes," gasped Ianto, desperately trying to stay relaxed.

"Good," whispered Jack, and he pushed in further.

The invasion was strange at first, but the stinging was secondary to the need, just as Jack promised. Ianto's own cock was hard and aching, and he realized that might be able to come himself as Jack…suddenly he moaned as Jack pushed all the way in. Then, Jack didn't move. He just waited, and Ianto felt pain ebbing away as his body adjusted.

After what seemed like ages, Jack started to thrust, moving and adjusting until he found just the right angle to cause Ianto to cry out and writhe beneath him.

"Feel good?" grunted Jack.

Ianto nodded and gripped Jack's back. It felt so good. Shockingly good. Amazingly good. Still a bit painful, but so good. It wasn't long - almost too quick in fact - before Ianto knew he was going to come. Jack inside him plus the friction - it happened so quick, and he clenched around Jack's cock and came all over his stomach.

"Good, good," whispered Jack, who continued to thrust for awhile longer until he shivered and came inside Ianto with a long, soft groan.

Ianto recovered gradually, and he waited patiently for Jack to do the same. Jack finally disentangled them, cleaned them up and settled back down on the bed. Ianto wondered what the etiquette of the situation was - whether Jack would want him to stay.

"How do you feel?" asked Jack.

"Thoroughly buggered, sir," replied Ianto playfully.

Jack grinned. "Buggered good or buggered bad?"

Ianto leaned over and kissed him. "Bugged very well."

"A whole new world right?" laughed Jack.

Ianto sighed. "I suppose yes." He smiled softly. "You did right by me, as promised."

Jack ran a finger up Ianto's bare arm. "And I can teach you how to do right by me. Would you like that?"

Ianto looked at Jack. He wasn't sure how all this worked, and Jack had always seemed the dominate type, so the question was a bit unexpected.

"I would, sir," replied Ianto softly, "and maybe next time I'll bring a stopwatch."

"Next time?" grinned Jack. "I like the sound of that."

Ianto got up and started gathering up his clothes. "Me too, sir."

And he wasn't kidding. To his surprise, Ianto was looking forward to next time. He may not every be able to love again, but this thing with Jack - it felt good. And it might just make his life a little more bearable. After all, for the first time since Lisa's death, his stomach did not feel like it was full of rats.


	4. Chapter 4

4.

Jack bit his lip to keep from grinning too hard as he headed back to his office. Gwen, Owen and Tosh had all taken him up on his offer to let them go early. Owen and Gwen made a big scene of leaving separately, but they didn't fool Jack. He knew they were still shagging, and the thought pained him more than he cared to admit. He sighed as he shut his office's blinds.

He considered Gwen for a moment longer. The situation with Suzie had been deeply depressing, and Jack was relieved that Gwen had survived. Gwen seemed to have a knack for getting herself into trouble, though he had an inkling that having her life force sucked away by Suzie had clouded her judgment. Still, between Tosh and the alien criminal and Ianto and his Cyberwoman - it seemed like everyone on his team had been epically screwing up lately.

Although, since Lisa's death, Ianto's job performance had become more than exceptional, and it had been exceptional before. Jack knew it was because the younger man thought he had nothing left but work. Work followed by "Death by Torchwood", if past history indicated anything.

Jack took a deep breath as he waited. He wanted Suzie to be the exception, not the rule. He didn't want his team to die on him. He wanted Ianto to live a long life. Maybe even find a girl, settle down. Have the life he wanted to have with Lisa.

Not that Jack wanted that right away. He was more than happy to console his young assistant, help him through his grief. Jack smiled mischievously, and he realized he was nervous with anticipation.

Finally, Ianto appeared in the doorway, stopwatch in hand.

"Ten minutes exactly, sir," he said, pressing the button.

"Is everyone gone?" asked Jack.

Ianto smiled. "Yes, sir," he replied as he approached Jack, putting the stopwatch in his pocket.

Jack was about to make a witty remark about the watch, but Ianto stopped him by pulling him into a hard, strong kiss. Ianto's hands held Jack's face, and his tongue explored Jack's mouth, aggressively. Jack almost felt dizzy as he put his hands on Ianto's hips and pulled him close.

"So what do you want to do with that stopwatch?" asked Jack breathily, through kisses.

Ianto stepped back slightly, and he was wearing an enigmatic expression as he got the stopwatch out of his suit pocket.

"Well," he said, "last time I didn't last as long as I usually do. This time, I think I can hold out much longer. Unless, of course, you have other ideas…sir." Ianto then clicked the stopwatch to start the timer.

Jack's mouth fell open slightly, and he wondered where his shy office boy had gone. Ianto, meanwhile confidently glanced down at his crotch, and then put his free hand on Jack's shoulder, pushing him down slightly. Jack got the hint, and he got down on his knees.

Jack deftly undid Ianto's trousers and pulled out his gorgeous cock, which was already hard. And Jack almost laughed, knowing just how skilled he was. He had every confidence he could make Ianto come and come quickly.

He gripped Ianto's cock, and he rubbed the tip with his finger, causing it to glisten.

This will be easy, thought Jack as he leaned over and took the whole of Ianto into his mouth. Ianto groaned and his free ran through Jack's hair. Jack applied all his vast experience and knowledge to drive Ianto close to the edge - but not over. He didn't want to lose by winning the game, after all.

The sounds Ianto made, the groans and gasps, were utterly delicious, and Jack found himself so aroused he ached. He was tempted to jerk himself off while he worked at Ianto, but he held back. He wanted to know what Ianto's pretty mouth felt like on his cock.

It was that thought that made Jack suck harder and faster - and soon Ianto shuddered and came into his mouth. Jack triumphantly licked and drank from Ianto's cock, and then he stood up and kissed him, knowing the young man would be able to taste himself on Jack's lips.

"What's the timer say?" asked Jack.

Ianto looked down. "Eleven minutes and 30 seconds," he replied sheepishly. "You're good."

"I bet you are, too," said Jack, pointedly. Ianto blushed - deliciously so. "Just do what you like done to yourself," he whispered in the young man's ear, making him tremble.

Ianto nodded and got down on his knees. He undid Jack's trousers, pulling out his cock. He mimicked Jack's earlier actions with his hand, and then took Jack's cock into his mouth.

"Just relax," gasped Jack, "Relax your throat…that's it."

Ianto was slightly clumsy, but only just so. He was soon performing with enthusiasm, and Jack was losing all rational thought. He gripped Ianto's shoulder, and then - to Jack's surprise - he reached up and gripped Jack's hand, entwining his fingers. The gesture was so intimate, that it pushed Jack very close to the edge. Just a few moments later, he was coming in Ianto's mouth.

"Wow…" said Jack as he recovered, "If that was your first time…well, just wow."

Ianto stood up, and Jack took him into his arms. He noticed that the stopwatch had fallen to the floor, still ticking and forgotten. At least he thought it was forgotten.

After zipping both himself and Jack up, Ianto scooped up the watch and stopped it. He pressed the button in rapid succession.

"Shall we see how long it takes me to recover, sir?"

Jack blinked, and then inhaled. Ianto was full of surprises.

"After all," the younger man continued, "I promised to do right by you last time. I always keep my promises."

Jack's knees nearly turned to jelly, and that was before Ianto kissed him hard and deep. Jack grasped at Ianto's arms, opening his mouth.

"Let's go downstairs…" stuttered Jack between kisses.

Ianto broke away and smiled softly, gesturing toward the hatch. "You first," he said firmly.

Jack obeyed immediately, opening the door and climbing down the ladder. As he disappeared, Ianto winked at him - and Jack nearly lost his step and fell down - on a climb he did several times a day every day.

He made it to the bottom, turned on the light and watched as Ianto descended as well. Jack couldn't believe how nervous he was. It was rare, in his long experience, that he got this way - but something about Ianto's new confidence, combined with his relative inexperience was an incredible turn on.

Jack kicked off his shoes, and then he watched as Ianto leaned down and carefully took each of his own shoes off. He then placed his neatly in the corner and then retrieved Jack's and set them in the same place. Ianto then began to loosen his tie.

Jack stepped forward, looking Ianto straight in the eye. _Such beautiful eyes_, he thought. "Let me do that," he said and he moved his hands to Ianto's tie and finished undoing it, before taking off the young man's jacket and unbuttoning his shirt. Ianto placed the stopwatch on the small bedside table before shrugging off his shirt.

Jack meanwhile divested himself of his own shirt while Ianto watched, smiling just slightly. Jack took a deep breath and then he sat on the small bed. Before he could beckon Ianto over, Ianto took the initiative again and strode over to Jack, placing himself between Jack's legs and leaning down to kiss him deeply again. They kissed just like that for what seemed like a very long time.

Soon enough, Ianto was clearly aroused again, and Jack managed to whisper "I think you can stop the watch now."

Ianto smiled and leaned over and pressed stop. "Fourteen minutes, thirty seconds."

"Not counting when you were doing me, of course," said Jack playfully. "But we'll count it."

Ianto didn't say a word, just kissed Jack again. Jack reveled in the feeling of the young man's bare skin against his. Jack let Ianto's tongue explore his mouth, but then he decided to reverse it and their tongues danced in a war for dominance.

This continued as Ianto pushed Jack down on the bed, and then his hands moved to Jack's belt buckle, which he undid swiftly, along with Jack's trousers. He pushed the trousers down, along with Jack's underwear. Jack helped him and soon was kicking aside the last of his clothes.

Jack looked at Ianto, and Ianto appeared to be drinking in every inch of Jack with his eyes, not to mention his fingers.

"You're very handsome, Jack," whispered Ianto.

Jack shivered. As confident as he was, he still found himself utterly grateful that Ianto appreciated the sight of him. And for Jack's part, he couldn't wait to see all of Ianto. He reached down and quickly rid Ianto of the rest of his clothes. Jack then fumbled a little opening the drawer of his nightstand and pulling out a small bottle.

"You said you wanted to do right by me," said Jack as he placed the bottle in Ianto's hand.

Ianto responded with a soft kiss on Jack's lips. "And I've been thinking about it ever since," he replied.

Jack positioned himself on his back, bending his knees and spreading his legs so as to bare his opening. He watched as Ianto poured lube in his fingers.

"You remember how I opened you?" asked Jack breathily.

"Every moment," replied Ianto, leaning down for another kiss. "Every sensation. And I've been doing my own research as well."

Jack groaned as he felt Ianto's finger exploring him, then pushing gently inside.

"That's good. You can push further than that," gasped Jack.

Ianto locked eyes with his, and he obeyed. With little further instruction, he opened Jack up, and had Jack moaning and writhing in the process.

"Are you ready?" asked Ianto, finally, as he lubed up his own cock.

"Oh, yes," gasped Jack. "Just fuck me."

Ianto removed his fingers and pushed inside Jack. Jack sighed with pleasure. There was something so delicious about this - bottoming for his office boy. His beautiful, sweet, tormented office boy. It was heavenly just lying there, adjusting, and Ianto seemed to have a large measure of patience. Finally, however, Jack needed more.

"You can move now," gasped Jack.

Ianto grunted and started to thrust, and thrust hard and fast.

Jack was hard as stone, delighting in being filled and the friction - and thoroughly impressed by Ianto's stamina. Then, to Jack's surprise, Ianto pulled out.

Jack looked up and saw Ianto, still hard and glistening, his body all sweaty and hair disheveled. He was going to ask if everything was all right, but Ianto spoke.

"Turn over, on your knees," ordered the younger man - his Welsh elocution never sounding sexier.

Jack obeyed immediately, and Ianto entered him again, thrusting a few times before putting his hands around Jack's chest and pulling him upright. Ianto kissed the back of Jack's neck and then twisted Jack's head slightly so he could kiss him on the mouth. He thrust some more, but he also grabbed Jack's cock and started to jerk him off in time. Jack's hand joined Ianto's, showing him just the right tempo.

It was so hot, Jack thought he was going to lose total control. He moaned and groaned, and he smiled at Ianto.

"You like that, _sir_?" whispered Ianto, with emphasis on the honorific.

That did it. Ianto fucking him, kissing him, jerking him off…and then calling him sir, pushed Jack over the edge. He came and he came hard, nearly collapsing in Ianto's arms. Ianto responded by pushing him back down on his hands and knees, continuing to pound into Jack until he shuddered and collapsed onto Jack's back.

Jack sighed as he waited for Ianto to recover. Soon enough, Ianto leapt up and retrieved damp towel from the bathroom to clean them both off. He did so gently and efficiently.

Then, he kissed Jack on the lips, but he said nothing.

Impulsively, Jack spoke. "You don't have to go back to you flat. You could stay here. I know you keep extra clothes upstairs."

Ianto looked him in the eyes, and for a moment, a terrible moment, he thought Ianto was going to turn him down. But instead, Ianto smiled and nodded.

"Move over," he said, and the two of them arranged themselves spoon style in Jack's bed, with Ianto in front and Jack in back.


	5. Chapter 5

5.

_The sun shone through the window of Ianto's tiny flat, brightening the bedroom and forcing his eyes open. He felt a pair of soft arms around him and then soft lips against his neck. He turned over. Her eyes were so big and dark and expressive…he'd noticed other parts of her first, but her eyes were what drew him in. _

_She smiled. "You're not going to waste your day off in bed?" she asked with a laugh. "I thought we'd go hiking."_

_He flipped her over and pinned her to the bed, her dark skin contrasting so beautifully with the white sheets. _God, she's gorgeous_, he thought. "Just so you know, I hardly consider spending a day in bed a waste, as long as you're in it, too, Ms. Hallet." _

_He leaned down and kissed her…_

Ianto's eyes flew open. He was in a dark room. He inhaled quickly, startled to be awake. He felt arms around him. Strong arms. Masculine arms. Memory returned, as did the grief. Lisa was dead.

"Hey, hey," whispered Jack. "Did you have a nightmare?"

Ianto shook his head. "No," he stammered. "I…I dreamt Lisa was alive…the way she was before Canary Wharf."

He heard Jack sigh, and Ianto turned to face him. Jack looked at him with genuine empathy. "That's normal," he replied softly. "It's a normal reaction to grief…"

Ianto nodded. He didn't know what to say. He knew she was gone. He knew he had spent an amazing evening having sex with Jack. But the dream just made him miss her all over again.

Jack shifted and gathered Ianto into his arms. "What was she like?" asked Jack, kissing the top of Ianto's head. "Tell me about her. The real her."

Ianto smiled. "She was incredible. She and I used to share a workspace in the office. She was a mess. Drove me crazy. Her files were strewn everywhere, but she always knew where everything was." Ianto leaned against Jack's chest and listened to his heartbeat. "She used to say I had two choices. I could request a transfer to a different office or I could fall in love with her. She used to say she was glad I picked the latter." Ianto's voice was breaking.

Jack held him close. Ianto told him a little more. He talked about their first date. Their first kiss. About him meeting her parents. He didn't say anything about Canary Wharf or what she had been like afterwards.

Finally, Jack moved to get up, climbing over Ianto. "I need a shower," he said. "It'll be light soon. I know a little place not far from here where we can get breakfast."

Ianto was suddenly very conscious of how naked Jack was. How naked they both were.

"Care to join me?" asked Jack, mischievously as he held out his hand.

Ianto nodded and took Jack's hand, allowing Jack to pull him to his feet.

* * *

><p>As he squeezed into his shower with Ianto, Jack wondered why he had given up his flat all those years ago. Then again, it was awfully enjoyable to be forced to stand this close. The hot water felt good, and he immediately started lathering up his lover. That of course had an effect on both of them.<p>

Jack kissed him, open-mouthed and soft. The younger man responded with a moan. Jack then leaned down and grabbed Ianto's cock and started to stroke. Ianto's hand found Jack's cock and returned the favor.

Jack sighed and moaned. It felt great, but he was sad, too. It wasn't that he hadn't recognized that what he had with Ianto was grief sex and nothing more than that, but Ianto's dream had brought that point home. In more sentimental moments, Jack would have liked to have more than that with Ianto. The way that Ianto had spoken about Lisa, the look in his eyes…Jack had been surprised to find himself jealous. Jealous of a dead girl.

I was just that Ianto had such passion beneath his buttoned-down exterior. He had fought so ferociously to save Lisa's life, futile though the effort was. Jack had been lucky enough to experience a hint of that during their sexual encounters. That hint had him craving more. Craving the love and loyalty and protectiveness Ianto had for Lisa.

That was silly, of course. And Jack knew he should be grateful for what Ianto could give him, and what he was currently giving him was an amazing hand job. Soon, Jack was coming in Ianto's hand and experiencing a dizzying orgasm. But he continued to work on Ianto, who came shortly after. Jack watched Ianto's face as he came, and it was as though all the sadness from before, when he was remembering Lisa just drained away. He looked happy, beautifully happy. They held each other for a bit as they both recovered, and then they showered in earnest.

_No_, thought Jack, _I should be happy with what he can give me._ After all, the Doctor could come at any time. I can't make any commitments to anyone, and he's not about to make one to me.

* * *

><p>Ianto felt exhilarated as he went about his morning tasks, including making coffee, checking Tosh's rift activity program, and putting together Jack's schedule for the day. He didn't show his emotions any more than he had showed his misery weeks earlier, however. He knew how to hide his emotions, after all he'd been doing that for as long as he could remember, long before Torchwood.<p>

But he was, for the first time in what seemed like ages, feeling happy. He'd never had a casual affair, much less a casual office affair. _With a man_. He'd always been with girls that he'd been emotionally connected with, and there had been only a handful before Lisa. Now, he was shagging in his boss. It was inappropriate in so many ways but also wonderful. A dirty secret between him and Jack.

The dream of Lisa had rattled him, but Jack's understanding and consolation had helped immeasurably. Jack understood. Ianto hadn't thought it possible, but Jack had kept his word and helped ease his pain.

But what was of most interest to Ianto was why Jack had taken such an interest in him. Yes, Jack was grieving for Estelle. Yes, Jack was lonely. But there was something more.

That morning, when Ianto was feeding Myfanwy, he glanced up to see Jack staring wistfully out his office window. He wasn't looking in Ianto's direction, but towards Gwen's workstation. Gwen was sitting there, making jokes with Owen. Those two were still carrying on, although Ianto and Tosh had thought it would be over by now. Gwen was clueless about Jack's gaze, just as Jack appeared clueless about Ianto's gaze.

_Gwen_._ Gwen Cooper._

Ianto liked her. He liked her a great deal. Despite some of her early screw ups, she had proven to be a great addition to the team, and Ianto enjoyed having a fellow Welsh native around. She had brought a warmth and humanity to the Hub that had been sorely needed. Susie had been all cold efficiency, and that hadn't worked out well at all. Plus, Gwen had stood up for him during and after the Lisa situation. But Ianto had not missed the way Jack sometimes looked at her, the lilt in his voice when he spoke her name or the hurt evident in Jack's eyes whenever someone mentioned her affair with Owen. It was not lost on Ianto that his own affair with Jack had commenced right after Jack had learned of Owen and Gwen.

For all Jack's bluster and promiscuity, Ianto recognized in him a deeply romantic soul. When Jack loved, he loved deep and strong. Ianto shared that quality with him. It was something that they shared. It was just that at this moment, both of them loved someone they couldn't have. Ianto's love was dead, and Jack's love was otherwise occupied with a partner and a lover.

"Poor sod," whispered Ianto as he watched Myfanway eat her breakfast.

_Well_, he thought, _I may not be Gwen, but I can comfort him and take care of him. _

And so over the next few days Ianto set about to do just that. Ianto had always been a hard worker, but he doubled his efforts, making sure that Jack's every need during the day was met. Ianto learned to predict when Jack would want coffee, when he would need his coat, when he would need an excuse for UNIT or the police. Jack seemed pleased, praising Ianto and keeping the flirting to a minimum. Neither of them mentioned their two sexual encounters.

Then, one afternoon, Gwen was off chasing a lead about a dead young man and an allegedly alien eye, Tosh was working on a rift activity algorithm, and Owen was autopsying an alien corpse. Jack was looking over some blueprints he had spread out in the conference room. It was a pretty ordinary day, all in all.

"May I bring you another cup of coffee, sir?" said Ianto.

Jack looked up, and he smiled softly. "You read my mind," he said.

"I try, sir," replied Ianto, and Jack walked over to him.

"Okay, what am I thinking now?" he asked.

Ianto blushed slightly, but he didn't turn away. "I can guess," he said, staring into Jack's eyes.

Jack leaned over and said in a very low voice. "Stay here tonight. I've missed you."

Ianto nodded, and he moved to leave.

"Is that a yes?" asked Jack.

"Yes," said Ianto as he left, heart pounding in his chest. Suddenly, evening couldn't come soon enough.


	6. Chapter 6

6.

Jack and Gwen stared at each other across the pub's table, he drinking water and her a pint. She'd gotten deeply involved in the case of poor Eugene, and she was clearly feeling down about it. Sometimes Jack wondered if she was too emotional for the job, but this case illustrated how her emotions could work for her rather than against her. If she hadn't become obsessed, the case would have been written off as a simple accident and the alien eye never recovered.

But all that came at a price, one that Gwen was still paying. She let things affect her, deeply.

"Do you think he was really a ghost? Or something else?" she asked.

Jack sighed. "I'm not really qualified to tell you. As many times as I've died, I've never been a ghost."

Gwen smiled just a little. She looked so melancholy.

"You did good, Gwen," he said.

She gulped her drink and sighed. Then she reached over and squeezed his hand. "How long have you been shagging Ianto?"

The question came just as he took a sip of water. Jack nearly spit on the table, but he managed to swallow, only choking slightly.

"Not long," he replied. "How did you know? Am I that transparent?"

Gwen shook her head. "You're not. He is. He's always looking at you. And for the last few weeks, he's been taking care of you in a manner that makes me think of how he must have cared for Lisa."

Jack said nothing. Gwen shrugged.

"And I saw you grab his arse a couple of days ago. It was quick, but I saw."

Jack put his glass down. He had hired a cop, and so he shouldn't have been surprised when she acted like one. Her powers of observation were excellent.

"Are you still shagging Owen?" he asked.

"We're not talking about me," she replied tartly. "Jack…Ianto's been through so much. He's not had time to recover from Lisa…"

Jack leaned forward. "It's not that it is any of your business Gwen, but I'm helping him recover. It's just sex, with a little comfort - no a lot of comfort - mixed in. Nothing more than that."

It was then that Gwen shot him a look that was a mixture of something to the effect of "you can't possibly be that stupid" and "why the hell didn't you ask me for sex."

"Owen is a tosser. He's not good for anything other than a shag. Ianto on the other hand…"

Jack looked at her. "…will grieve for Lisa for awhile, before meeting a nice Welsh girl, shacking up, leaving Torchwood, getting married and having a couple of gorgeous, pre-naturally tidy kids."

Even as he spoke the words, he knew they were absurd. Nobody ever left Torchwood, not really. It was just a hope Jack held out for Ianto.

Gwen was finished with her drink, as was he. So they got up to leave. He changed the subject to their agenda for work the next day, and then he sent her home to her boyfriend.

"Jack," she said as she left, "You'd better not hurt him."

Walking back toward The Hub, Jack shook his head. His little crush on Gwen, which was just a crush, needed to end. He remembered back to the last time he took up with a comely, female Torchwood agent. He was still dealing with the consequences, emotionally and otherwise, a few decades later. And Gwen, she was what the team needed, what he needed at his side in order to run Torchwood. He couldn't afford to ruin that with a doomed love affair.

As he took the invisible lift down into The Hub, he caught a glimpse of Ianto, who walked through The Hub stand at the bottom of the lift. Ianto, that's what he needed. And Jack knew Ianto needed him, too. No attachments. No fancying themselves in love.

As he stepped off the lift, Ianto nodded formally. "Good evening, sir," he said.

"Are we alone?" asked Jack, mischief in his voice.

"Yes, sir," replied Ianto. "Tosh and Owen have gone for the day."

"Good," said Jack, and he pulled Ianto into a deep, long kiss. Ianto's arms went around him, and Jack thought he felt the younger man swoon. "I've been wanting to do that all day."

Ianto smiled. "I ordered us Chinese. It should arrive at any moment."

"I'll meet you in the conference room," said Jack, who after a quick Trip to his office to check messages and hang up his coat, headed straight to the conference room.

Soon, he and Ianto were feasting on General Tsao's Chicken and Garlic Prawns while laughing over his stories of alien counters (of the non sexual kind). Ianto even told a few anecdotes of his time at Torchwood One.

"Lisa had this mate called Addy, and she was shagging this bloke that I knew called Gareth. One day, Lisa was doing research on this alien telepathy device. She meant to call me into the conference room for a tryst, but she called Gareth instead. She got it right on the second try, so Gareth and I wound up in a darkened conference room and nearly making out with each other…meanwhile, Gareth had confirmed with a confused Addy, so she showed up shortly afterwards, followed by Lisa who was wondering what was going on…"

Jack laughed, and popped a prawn into his mouth. "Please tell me it ended up in a mid day foursome between all of you…"

Ianto rolled his eyes, and he blushed a little. "Hardly, but we did end up down the nearby pub having a good laugh." Ianto paused. "Funny…I'm the only one of us that's still alive."

Jack put down his chopsticks and moved closer to Ianto, putting his arm around his now deflated assistant. "Hey," he whispered, "It's important to remember good times. It makes the pain a little easier to bear."

Wordlessly, Ianto leaned over and kissed Jack very tenderly.

"I don't taste like garlic, do I?" asked Jack.

"I like garlic," replied Ianto.

Jack smiled and stood up. "C'mon, I'll help you clean up."

Then, they set about cleaning up dinner, and when that was done, Ianto's eyes met Jack's. "Shall we go downstairs, sir?"

Jack grinned, and he whispered in Ianto's ear, "I was thinking I could fuck you on this conference table."

Ianto swallowed. "The CCTV?"

Jack smirked. "I'll hide the footage where even Tosh can't find it."

"Not destroy it?" asked Ianto.

"Are you kidding?" replied Jack as he began to loosen Ianto's tie. "I can guarantee you I'll want to watch it later."

Ianto laughed and nodded, and soon they were efficiently stripping off each other's clothes in between kisses. When they were both naked, Jack's eyes raked over Ianto's aroused body, and he caught his breath. The soft light of the conference room really accentuated the younger man's beauty. He reminded Jack of a statue of Adonis he'd seen at Pompeii.

Jack couldn't help himself, and he dropped to his knees. He grasped Ianto's hard cock firmly, and he massaged it just enough so that it began to glisten with precum. Then, he licked the tip, eliciting a groan from Ianto. Gradually, Jack took the entire thing into his mouth, skillfully sucking and using his tongue so that Ianto trembled. But Jack knew just how far to take it, and then he pulled back. He then took his finger and gently found Ianto's opening, caressing it with his fingers.

Jack suddenly crawled over to his trousers and pulled out a bottle of lube he'd brought with him. He squeezed some onto his fingers, and then he penetrated Ianto, who made some soft and rather lovely noises.

Eventually, Jack stood up and lifted Ianto onto the table. He kissed him passionately before pressing him on his back. Jack put a little more lube on his fingers, and then he worked to open Ianto more. Ianto spread his legs, bent his knees and sighed.

"I've been thinking about fucking you all day," said Jack.

Ianto lifted his head up and gasped, "I've been thinking about you fucking me all day."

Jack rubbed lube on his cock, and he got on his knees on one of the chairs. He slowly, gently breached Ianto's body. It felt amazing, warm and so tight. Ianto wrapped his legs around Jack, and they waited for him to adjust.

"Are you ready?" asked Jack.

"Yes," came the whispered reply.

Jack started to thrust, and Ianto, eyes closed, cried out. Jack then grabbed Ianto's still-hard cock and began to stroke him off in time with the thrusts. That made Ianto start talking - saying what Jack knew to be very dirty things in Welsh.

Jack shifted a few times to get the right angle, and then he thrust hard and fast and deep. Ianto came with a shudder. Jack wasn't far behind, spilling himself into the younger man.

After a moment, he crawled up on the table and kissed Ianto. Their tongues danced gently. Jack looked into his blue eyes. They weren't as sad as they had been earlier.

"I'm so glad we're doing this," said Jack. "You make me feel so good."

Ianto smiled. "Thanks, Jack," he said.

Jack's heart skipped a beat. He brushed an errant hair out of Ianto's face. "I like it when you call me Jack."

"I like calling you Jack." Ianto kissed Jack's lips, and their mouths explored for awhile.

Then, Jack broke the kiss. "Come on. Let's get cleaned up and downstairs. That is - if you want to stay." Jack paused. "I'd like you to stay."

Ianto began to get up. He locked eyes with Jack. "Then I'll stay."


	7. Chapter 7

7.

Ianto and Tosh sat in the conference room, drinking coffee as Tosh gave him a lesson on tracking via CCTV. Ianto knew a little about how to do it, but Tosh had computer tricks that worked on her computer tricks. She never ceased to amaze him. She'd also been very kind to him since the Lisa incident, even bringing him coffee now and again. He, in turn, had shown compassion for her when she had become involved with Mary.

Love, it seemed, could even bring the most logical of people to their knees.

They were alone in the Hub. Gwen, Jack and Owen were all out playing host to the lost travelers from the 1950s.

"Owen seems rather sweet on Diane," said Tosh with badly feigned nonchalance.

"I wonder what Gwen thinks of that," replied Ianto. "She and Owen seem to have cooled off."

Tosh cocked her head, and Ianto saw a flash of irritation in Tosh's eyes. _Good_, thought Ianto, _Irritation is far more appropriate than the lost-puppy hurt she usually projects._

"She better watch her back around Diane," said Tosh smoothly.

Ianto didn't reply. He just smiled a little.

"So, how are things with you and Jack?" she said.

Ianto's eyes widened and he nearly dropped his coffee. Apparently, he and Jack weren't as discreet as they thought.

"Nobody else knows," said Tosh. "It's just that Jack doesn't hide CCTV footage as well as the thinks he does, and when he does hide it, I usually check to make sure he's not under some sort of duress."

Ianto's eyes widened even more. He was glad he had spent extra time cleaning the conference room table.

"Don't worry," continued Tosh, "I didn't watch anything."

She stood up and put her hand on Ianto's shoulder and smiled. "Jack's treating you all right, isn't he?"

Ianto nodded. "Fine. It's just I thought it was a secret." He couldn't look her in the eye.

"I won't tell," replied Tosh. "Is it serious? Are you two…"

"No, no," interrupted Ianto as he turned to face her. "We're just shagging for fun. Nothing more than that."

Tosh looked a little disappointed at this, but then she smiled. "_Is_it fun?" she asked.

Ianto blushed. "Yes, and that's all I'll say." He paused. "You won't say anything to the others will you? I don't want to be the butt of their jokes."

Tosh nodded. "Your secret is safe with me. But don't let Jack hurt you okay?"

Ianto shook his head. "It's fine." With that, they turned their attention back to work.

* * *

><p>It was typical Torchwood work, disposing of a body, cleaning up a mess. Yet, there was nothing typical about what had happened that afternoon. Jack had let a man kill himself. Watched him die. Died along with him. Ianto sighed as he put the body in its drawer, wondering if the unfortunate time traveler had any religious beliefs. He had thought of suggesting a local church cemetery instead of the crowded morgue, but he hadn't. Jack had seemed too upset. Ianto had also arranged to have his car cleaned of the fumes and the seats shampooed, and he packed the dead man's things and put them in the archive.<p>

Ianto had been unsettled by the day's events. It wasn't that long ago that Jack had prevented him from ending his own life, so it unnerved Ianto that Jack had allowed a man to end his own life.

Granted, Ianto was younger, but the situation still gave Ianto a jolt. What was so special about himself that Jack had gone out of his way to save his life, especially after the risks he took by trying to save Lisa? Sex was the easy answer, of course, but Jack Harkness could get sex pretty much anytime anywhere. It couldn't be that.

Ianto looked at his watch. It was late. It was likely everyone had gone home. Except, of course, Jack. Ianto ascended the stairs to Jack's office, where the light was on and the blinds were closed. He knocked softly.

"Come in," said Jack.

"I came to see how you were doing," said Ianto softly, as he entered the office.

Jack was seated at his desk. He looked up, and it appeared for a moment that Jack had some witty remark ready, but he stopped short of saying it. Instead, he just sighed. "I'll be fine. Unlike some people."

Ianto stepped closer to where Jack sat. Jack turned around in his swivel chair, and then he stood up.

"You must think I am awful, to have let him die," said Jack.

In answer, Ianto took Jack into his arms and held him gently. "It was brave," he said, "to help him the way you did."

"Don't patronize me," replied Jack.

Ianto pushed back a little and looked into Jack's eyes. "I wouldn't do that, sir."

Jack seemed genuinely touch by the sentiment and pulled Ianto into a fierce embrace. But the moment passed quickly enough, and Jack whispered into Ianto's ear, "Care to come down to my place so I can go down on you?"

Ianto blushed. "That's an invitation a person would be a fool to turn down," he replied.

* * *

><p>Jack didn't even give Ianto a chance to get undressed. Mere moments after Ianto's shoes hit the floor of Jack's bedroom, Jack pushed him toward the bed, kissing Ianto on the lips all the way there.<p>

Ianto was quickly on his back, and Jack straddled him and undid his trousers, pushing them down, along with Ianto's boxers, just enough to release his cock. When the cool air hit it, Ianto gasped and closed his eyes. Jack shifted down the bed and leaned over, licking at the exposed tip.

Jack worked the shaft with his hand, and he delighted at the soft moans coming from Ianto. He then methodically licked up and down the shaft before finally taking all of it into his mouth.

While he sucked and twirled his tongue, Jack slipped a finger back to Ianto's opening and began lightly massaging it. When Ianto didn't object, Jack inserted his finger. The move, and the skillful moves that Jack employed afterward, caused a loud groan. Only his trousers prevented the younger man from thrashing around too much.

Soon enough, Jack hit just the right spot with his finger, and Ianto came into Jack's mouth. Jack swallowed enthusiastically, reveling in the taste of the younger man.

Then he got up and headed to the bathroom to retrieve a towel, brushing his teeth and cleaning up a little while he was in there. He also stripped down to his underwear and headed back into his room.

Ianto was still lying prone on the bed, eyes shut and breathing steady, and he hadn't appeared to have moved. Jack handed a damp towel to Ianto, who cleaned himself off as Jack removed his shoes and socks. The rest of Ianto's clothes, except for his boxers, came off as well. Jack even did him the favor of folding the clothes neatly and putting them on a chair before joining Ianto in bed.

"I'm the one who is supposed to be making you feel better," said Ianto as he kissed Jack on the lips.

"That did make me feel better," replied Jack.

Ianto looked down at the bulge in Jack's underwear. "I can see that," he replied.

Their lips met again, and their tongues. Jack was hard as a rock, so hard he ached - all from just simple kisses and touches. He moved Ianto's hand under his briefs and right where he wanted it most. Ianto took the hint, and he started to stroke.

"Mmmm…" whispered Jack. "Keep going."

Their eyes met, and Ianto smiled. Sometimes the simplest way of getting off was the sexiest. Jack couldn't think of anything he'd rather do at the moment that gaze into Ianto's eyes as Ianto jerked him off.

Ianto then upped the ante by whispering endearments in Welsh. Jack had lived (and loved) in Cardiff long enough to recognize Ianto's dirty talk. This wasn't it. He was speaking words of love and affection, and that send Jack reeling. He was coming in Ianto's hand before he could stop himself, and he was so overcome he practically collapsed in the younger man's arms.

Ianto, ever the butler, cleaned Jack off with a nearby towel before his strong arms around Jack's body, and Jack sighed deeply. He was more content than he had been in as long as he could remember.

* * *

><p>Ianto lay with Jack in his arms, the two of them squeezed into the little cot in Jack's small, dark room. Ianto wondered if Jack had lived here his whole time at Torchwood, or only since he took over. It seemed a depressing way to live.<p>

Jack had made veiled references to having to go at any moment. Not making attachments. His spartan living quarters must be a part of that.

Ianto, on the other hand, had a flat, and he had a double bed. He had considered inviting Jack there, but he never could bring himself to do so. Somehow, if their trysts were limited to inside The Hub, then they didn't matter. They weren't anything but fun. If Jack came to Ianto's flat, if they had dinner…

Ianto did not want to think in that direction. He wasn't gay, after all. And Jack wasn't one to settle down. This was a bit of fun until Jack found a new diversion, and Ianto got over his grief. In due time, they'd go back to being employer and employee, and hopefully friends.

In the meantime, Ianto resolved to be there for Jack as Jack had been for him. He kissed Jack's forehead. "I think Emma will be fine, for what it's worth. One survivor is better than none."

Jack smiled. "Gwen did good with her," replied Jack. "She seemed to really help her get her bearings. I think Emma will survive."

Gwen, thought Ianto. It always comes down to Gwen. "You love her, don't you?" asked Ianto casually, as he stroked Jack's hair.

That startled Jack. He sat up, gently pushing Ianto aside. "What makes you say that?"

"The way you look at her. The way you two are when you are together. Look, I don't blame you. She's lovely, and I've noticed that you fancy girls now and again…" Ianto spoke playfully, but his voice trailed off as Jack gave him the most peculiar look.

Jack inhaled a big breath, and he took one of Ianto's hands, entwining their their fingers. "Gwen represents something I can't have. When I've tried to have it, it's only caused pain. It doesn't mean I don't want it."

Ianto squeezed Jack's hand. He couldn't imagine what Jack's life was like. How many people he'd known and lost over the years. "For what it's worth, you haven't caused me pain. You've helped me more than you could possibly know…sometimes just shagging can work miracles."

Jack looked up, meeting Ianto's gaze, and he smiled, genuinely smiled. "Well, Jones, Ianto, Jones, I aim to please."

Ianto silenced him with a kiss.


	8. Chapter 8

8.

Ianto paced in the hospital corridor, trying not to look anxious as hospital workers and the occasional guest walked past him. Of all the people at Torchwood, he liked Owen the least. Owen had a mean streak with just about everyone. Even before the incident with Lisa, Owen had talked down to him, treating him like a servant. After Lisa had died, Owen had treated Ianto with not very concealed contempt.

Owen also had embarked on an affair with Gwen, managing to hurt Jack, Tosh and Gwen in the process.

Even as he considered all of this, Ianto felt sorry for Owen. He knew what it was like to want to die. Although, death by weevil wouldn't have been Ianto's first choice.

But not so very long ago, Jack had saved Ianto. Now, he had saved Owen.

Ianto heard familiar footsteps, and he turned to see Jack striding out of Owen's room, his greatcoat flowing behind him.

"Let's go," huffed Jack, and Ianto followed him.

Jack said nothing as they wound through the corridors, down the steps and then out to the car park. They climbed into the SUV, with Jack allowing Ianto to drive. Silently, Ianto drove to his own flat, figuring Jack would want to be alone. Jack looked glum and deflated in the passenger seat, his mind far away. Ianto sighed.

"You're going to have to drive yourself back to The Hub, sir," he said.

Jack looked up, and Ianto realized he hadn't been paying a whit of attention to him or where they were. Suddenly, Ianto's heart ached for him.

"Or, you could come upstairs with me," whispered Ianto.

Jack smiled at the invitation, a real and genuine smile. Jack seemed at that moment very ordinary, just a man overwhelmed by sadness. Ianto had to remind himself that Jack was an immortal time traveler from the far future, born on another world.

But all of that didn't matter.

"Come on," said Ianto, "Get out. You're coming upstairs. Now."

Jack obeyed, and the two of them walked arm and arm to Ianto's flat. Ianto's hands shook slightly as he unlocked the door and let Jack inside. Somehow, Jack being there seemed like a big step, an admission of something important with regards to what they meant to each other - something that Ianto had thus far refused to admit to himself.

Ianto's flat was small and sparsely furnished, but it got good light during the day, and he kept it clean. The only decor was a framed poster from an old movie house that Ianto used to visit with his father, and there was a small framed picture of Lisa and himself taken before their world had been shattered.

Ianto took Jack's coat and hung it neatly in the small coat closet, and then he hung his own coat next to it. He turned to Jack, about to ask if he'd like a drink, but Jack grabbed Ianto's arm and pulled him towards him.

Jack's mouth crashed against Ianto's own, hard and passionate. Ianto nearly swooned, and he put his hands on Jack's face and eagerly returned the kiss. Time seemed to stand still as Jack explored Ianto's mouth.

Then, Jack abruptly broke the kiss, and he held Ianto close. "Do you have any idea how much I need you, Ianto Jones?" he whispered.

Ianto chuckled. "There's many people who could fetch your coat and drive you around," he replied.

Jack's eyes darkened, and he looked at Ianto fiercely. "You're much more than that, Ianto. So much more. And I don't mean the sex - though to be fair I like the sex a lot - you've become indispensable to me."

Ianto wanted to deny it, be modest. But Jack's voice was so earnest and serious, and Ianto was so genuinely touched, he simply hugged Jack tight. He inhaled Jack's luscious, intoxicating scent.

"I haven't gotten a chance to show you the bedroom, sir," he breathed.

Jack gave a moan of approval, and Ianto suddenly became aware of Jack's erection pressed into him. Ianto took Jack's hand and led him to the bedroom where they stripped off each other's clothes very slowly. Ianto knew his relationship with Jack was just the blink of an eye to Jack: a brief moment; flicker in time. Ianto wanted to savor every moment. Eventually, they stood naked as Ianto ran his fingers over the planes of Jack's chest. Ianto hoped to burn a memory of himself into Jack's heart, if only just a small one.

Jack closed his eyes. He seemed to be savoring the moment, too.

Ianto leaned over and whispered into Jack's ear. "You saved Owen's life. You've saved Tosh's. You've saved Gwen's. All of us. More than once. And I don't just mean from cannibals or weevils or alien lesbians. You saved us all from lives of quiet desperation. The risks are high, but so are the rewards."

Jack pulled him close. "Thanks," he replied, "but I don't want to talk about Torchwood. I want to forget it. Can't we be ordinary boyfriends, just for tonight?"

The term caused the blood to rush to Ianto's cheeks. His heart beat, and for a fleeting moment he worried that he had been wrong to bring Jack here, but when he gazed into Jack's eyes that moment passed. It felt very _right_ for Jack to be here.

Ianto nodded, and Jack pushed him toward the bed. Ianto quickly retrieved a bottle of lube from the nightstand and placed it into Jack's hand. Jack kissed him on the cheek.

Ianto's cock ached, knowing what was going to happen. He sighed as Jack turned him around and bent him over the edge of the bed. Jack kissed the back of Ianto's neck, and Ianto felt Jack's slick fingers penetrate him. Ianto sighed, marveling at how he had gotten used to this sensation. More than gotten used to it. He loved it.

Jack worked him skillfully for awhile before removing his fingers. Ianto stared at the familiar blue blanket on his bed as Jack penetrated Ianto's body with his cock. Ianto groaned loudly.

"I'm not hurting you, am I?" asked Jack breathily.

"Not at all," grunted Ianto. "It feels wonderful, sir."

"Say my name," ordered Jack as he pushed all the way inside.

Ianto's heart constricted. Calling Jack by his name always felt very intimate. "Jack," he whispered. "It feels so good, _Jack_."

In response to that, Jack started to move, hitting just the right spot. Ianto moaned loudly, and he reached down and began stroking his own cock.

"Make yourself come," said Jack. "I want to feel it when I'm inside you."

Ianto stroked faster, and Jack continued to thrust, bracing one hand on Ianto's back and the other on his neck. Soon, Ianto felt the tension building in his cock, and he pushed over the edge. He came all over the bed, clenching around Jack as he did.

Jack kept thrusting, but not for long. Ianto was limp with euphoria, but he felt Jack shudder and collapse. After a few moments, Jack stood up, and Ianto crawled up on the bed properly. Jack retrieved a damp towel from the bathroom and cleaned them both up.

"I can stay, can't I?" asked Jack.

"Of course," replied Ianto, clutching Jack's hand briefly. They both got under the blankets, and Ianto lay in Jack's arms.

"I'm glad you're here…Jack," he said softly.

Jack kissed the top of his head. "So am I. Sleep now."

Ianto nodded. It was a command he was happy to obey.


End file.
